Van Drew, however, described the Feb. 28 event announcing Andrzejczak as Milam’s replacement as purely ceremonial.

Since then, each county’s Democratic Committees — the First District includes all of Cape May and parts of Cumberland and Atlantic counties — have met and officially approved Andrzejczak’s appointment and his place as a candidate on the First District Democratic ticket.

“Everything was unanimous. They were really pleased with him,” said Nancy Sungenis, who led the Cumberland County Democrats Steering Committee for Chairman Bob Balicki, who was absent on other business.

The Cumberland County Democrats met on March 13 for the approval, in anticipation of the April 1 primary petition filing deadline for the June 4 New Jersey Primary.

“We had a nice group and everything went real nice,” Sungenis said.

The next day, on March 14, New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman John S. Wisniewski, D-19th Dist., and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, in her role as Secretary of State, approved Andrzejczak appointment to Milam’s seat with a certificate of selection, according to Van Drew.

“These are truly individuals who want to serve and want to give back and I’m truly proud of that,” Van Drew said of Albano and Andrzejczak.